Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:30 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 12:21 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH — An investigation into the crash that injured 28 fans when debris flew into the grandstands at Daytona International Speedway will be conducted by the track and NASCAR, and not by any outside agency.

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NASCAR and Speedway officials said Monday they would dedicate significant time and resources into investigating what could be done to prevent a repeat of the crash and determine if any safety improvements are needed to protect fans -- their "number one priority."

The crash during the last lap of the Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 on Saturday night sent debris, including a tire, hurtling through a fence designed to protect fans. A flaming engine was caught by the fence and landed on a walkway.

Panic erupted in the stands as race fans realized dozens among them were injured and bleeding. A dramatic YouTube video shows fans frantically waving for help and other fans rushing to provide aid, as screams and cries erupted.

Fourteen patients were taken to three hospitals, including an adult and a child who were critically injured. Seven remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition.

The Speedway and NASCAR, which governs and sanctions stock car racing, said they have no timetable for completing the investigation. But they said no government agency would be called in nor would they be required to file reports with any public agency.

NASCAR will dedicate "significant time and resources into getting the right answer," said David Higdon, NASCAR's managing director, integrated marketing communications, adding it may take days, weeks or even months to complete the review.

"Obviously we are comfortable and confident in our safety measures, but we look at every incident at every track and make sure," he said.

International Speedway Corp., which operates the Speedway and a dozen other tracks across the country, is highly motivated to "investigate this and look at every avenue," added Brett Scharback, ISC vice president and deputy general counsel.

"The number one motivation is our fans and their safety," he said. "No one has more motivation than us, so that we can improve on it and make sure it doesn't happen again."

The Speedway has agreements with the city of Daytona Beach and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office to be the first-responder to emergencies at the track because the track has its own security staff and fire department, said Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron. But the Speedway can ask for mutual aid.

The Florida Highway Patrol, which typically investigates auto crashes, as it does at smaller race tracks, cited an exemption in state law for motorsports entertainment complexes with at least 70,000 fixed seats.

Scharback, the ISC attorney, said the race was a private event and would be handled internally like any business handles its affairs.

"There's no jurisdictional element there that would be required to conduct an investigation that we're aware of," he said.

Such exclusions aren't uncommon in the motorsports industry, said Humpy Wheeler, who recently retired after 33 years as the president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway.

He reiterated that no state or federal agency would have as much motivation to find and fix problems as NASCAR and International Speedway Corp.

For example, after a 2009 Carl Edwards' crash at Talladega Superspeedway, the Daytona Speedway brought in an expert to conduct a full safety review and after that, installed new fencing before the 2010 racing season.

The industry has looked for a way to better protect fans from flying debris, said Wheeler, who now works as a consultant. But no better options have been developed that would "prevent every teeny piece from coming into the grandstand" and still allow fans to see the action on the track, he said.

At Charlotte, he tried a type of clear plastic similar to that used in bulletproof windows. But it didn't work because it turned black from rubber and other materials, and fans couldn't see through it.

The debris at Saturday's race broke through the fence, injuring 28 fans. Among those hit were Gaylene and Steve Johnson of Michigan, who were among the seven still hospitalized at Halifax Health Medical Center on Monday.

Debris hit the couple and sent Steve tumbling backwards into the row behind him, said his wife. He suffered a large gash on his head and bruises, and she had internal bleeding and a gash on her arm that exposed her bone.

"There are seven of us here and we are very fortunate because it could have been a lot worse," Gaylene said, adding that she did not know when they would be released from the hospital.

A 9-1-1 call released Monday from one fan shows the chaos that ensued after the crash.

"There's two seriously injured people here," the caller said. "OK, there's been a crash and these people are really serious ... We need help, big time, quick."

A county dispatch log shows several ambulances were already in route and nine in all responded, in addition to the Speedway's own ambulances.

<p>DAYTONA BEACH &mdash; An investigation into the crash that injured 28 fans when debris flew into the grandstands at Daytona International Speedway will be conducted by the track and NASCAR, and not by any outside agency. </p><p>NASCAR and Speedway officials said Monday they would dedicate significant time and resources into investigating what could be done to prevent a repeat of the crash and determine if any safety improvements are needed to protect fans -- their "number one priority." </p><p> The crash during the last lap of the Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 on Saturday night sent debris, including a tire, hurtling through a fence designed to protect fans. A flaming engine was caught by the fence and landed on a walkway. </p><p> Panic erupted in the stands as race fans realized dozens among them were injured and bleeding. A dramatic YouTube video shows fans frantically waving for help and other fans rushing to provide aid, as screams and cries erupted.</p><p>Fourteen patients were taken to three hospitals, including an adult and a child who were critically injured. Seven remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition. </p><p>The Speedway and NASCAR, which governs and sanctions stock car racing, said they have no timetable for completing the investigation. But they said no government agency would be called in nor would they be required to file reports with any public agency. </p><p>NASCAR will dedicate "significant time and resources into getting the right answer," said David Higdon, NASCAR's managing director, integrated marketing communications, adding it may take days, weeks or even months to complete the review. </p><p> "Obviously we are comfortable and confident in our safety measures, but we look at every incident at every track and make sure," he said. </p><p>International Speedway Corp., which operates the Speedway and a dozen other tracks across the country, is highly motivated to "investigate this and look at every avenue," added Brett Scharback, ISC vice president and deputy general counsel. </p><p>"The number one motivation is our fans and their safety," he said. "No one has more motivation than us, so that we can improve on it and make sure it doesn't happen again." </p><p>The Speedway has agreements with the city of Daytona Beach and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office to be the first-responder to emergencies at the track because the track has its own security staff and fire department, said Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron. But the Speedway can ask for mutual aid. </p><p>The Florida Highway Patrol, which typically investigates auto crashes, as it does at smaller race tracks, cited an exemption in state law for motorsports entertainment complexes with at least 70,000 fixed seats. </p><p>Scharback, the ISC attorney, said the race was a private event and would be handled internally like any business handles its affairs. </p><p>"There's no jurisdictional element there that would be required to conduct an investigation that we're aware of," he said. </p><p>Such exclusions aren't uncommon in the motorsports industry, said Humpy Wheeler, who recently retired after 33 years as the president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. </p><p>He reiterated that no state or federal agency would have as much motivation to find and fix problems as NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. </p><p>For example, after a 2009 Carl Edwards' crash at Talladega Superspeedway, the Daytona Speedway brought in an expert to conduct a full safety review and after that, installed new fencing before the 2010 racing season. </p><p>The industry has looked for a way to better protect fans from flying debris, said Wheeler, who now works as a consultant. But no better options have been developed that would "prevent every teeny piece from coming into the grandstand" and still allow fans to see the action on the track, he said. </p><p>At Charlotte, he tried a type of clear plastic similar to that used in bulletproof windows. But it didn't work because it turned black from rubber and other materials, and fans couldn't see through it. </p><p>The debris at Saturday's race broke through the fence, injuring 28 fans. Among those hit were Gaylene and Steve Johnson of Michigan, who were among the seven still hospitalized at Halifax Health Medical Center on Monday. </p><p>Debris hit the couple and sent Steve tumbling backwards into the row behind him, said his wife. He suffered a large gash on his head and bruises, and she had internal bleeding and a gash on her arm that exposed her bone. </p><p> "There are seven of us here and we are very fortunate because it could have been a lot worse," Gaylene said, adding that she did not know when they would be released from the hospital. </p><p>A 9-1-1 call released Monday from one fan shows the chaos that ensued after the crash. </p><p>"There's two seriously injured people here," the caller said. "OK, there's been a crash and these people are really serious ... We need help, big time, quick." </p><p>A county dispatch log shows several ambulances were already in route and nine in all responded, in addition to the Speedway's own ambulances.</p>